That's Life
by Welcome to the New
Summary: Dianna and Nichole are still on the loose. The team is determined to put an end to their terror. Meanwhile Alice is still adjusting to living with the Avengers, and that isn't as easy as it sounds. But hey, that's life, right? Sequel to Mind Games. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter One

_This is a call to arms, Gather soldiers, Time to go to war, This is a battle song, Brothers and sisters, Time to go to war, Did you ever believe? Were you ever a dreamer? Ever imagine heart open and free? Did you ever deny? Were you ever a traitor? Ever in love with your blood-lust and need? - Vox Populi, 30 Seconds to Mars_

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**Chapter One**

Three days had passed since she was released from the hospital. Three days had passed since the team moved into Stark Towers. The move was due to the fight they had had with Director Fury over taking away her powers just before she was sent to the hospital. The team had stood up for her when she didn't deserve it.

Alice held back a sigh as she studied her reflection. There was a scar running along her back where Nichole had stabbed her.

Memories of that battle were still fresh on everyone's mind. All Alice could think of was the betrayal left by Nichole. Her old friend had turned against those that were defending the world. The more she thought of everything that had happened, the more resentment she felt towards Viktor and Dianna.

They were the ones behind this. Viktor had treated her with the serum when she was a baby. And because she had survived the incident, he wanted her out of the picture. According to the files that Natasha had found, he sent her to the orphanage after showing no signs of having powers. Now Viktor regretted giving her up. He was sitting in jail while Dianna and Nichole were on the lose.

She tied up her hair into a ponytail before leaving the room she was sleeping in. It beat sleeping in the Hellicarrier for weeks on end. The bed made the beds at the orphanage look like rocks. There were three windows spread across the blueish gray walls that provided natural sunlight.

_Hard to believe I've gotten this far_, she thought as she left the room. A few months ago she was living in the orphanage with no hope of getting adopted. That all changed when she discovered her 'unusual' abilities. She was adopted shortly after by Natasha when SHIELD discovered the full extent of her powers. She wondered what the others at the orphanage would think if they were in the situation she was in.

Would they be ecstatic that they were adopted? Or would they run and flee the moment SHIELD tried recruiting them? She would never want them to live the life she was living now.

"Hey kid, glad to see you're awake," Tony said once she reached the living space. Everyone seemed to be relaxing after the fight with Director Fury. Steve was reading a book while Bruce and Clint watched the TV with Tony.

"Yeah, the bed's more comfortable than sleeping in a hospital," Alice admitted.

"You're more than welcome to make yourself at home," Tony explained after grabbing a bottle of wine from his secret stash.

"Thanks." Alice tilted her head to one side as he joined Clint and Bruce. She wondered for a moment why Tony was being so generous. After all they were here because of her.

_It's my fault all of this happened_. Her fists clenched at the bitter thought. If she had been a better fighter, if there was anything else she could have done, maybe none of this would have happened. But the past was the past. Now it was time to move on and find out where Dianna was hiding.

"Do you know where Natasha is?" she finally found her voice again after a moment of silence followed.

"In the gym," Tony replied. "You're free to use it any time you want," he added over his shoulder.

After thanking him, she quickly made her way to the lower level of the tower. The gym was bigger than the one on the Hellicarrier. Punching bags were placed on one side of the gym, and a few treadmills were scattered near the other side.

It didn't take Alice long to spot Natasha focusing her attention on a punching bag. She was always amazed at how graceful Natasha looked when it came to fighting. She could never live up to the amount of speed and energy put into those moves.

"I was hoping I could get in some training," Alice admitted after Natasha noticed her arrival. Natasha raised an eyebrow, and Alice held back a sigh of frustration. "I'll take it easy," she added.

She didn't blame Natasha for worrying. Ever since she had received the scar on her back, she grew tired more quickly. Bruce thought it had something to do with the way Nichole had hit her back. The knife must have hit a nerve or something.

It was just one of the many quirks of being her. She only hoped that it wasn't a permanent effect the scar left on her.

"Training is a good way of taking your mind off of what happened." Though Natasha may have whispered those words, Alice heard them loud and clear.

"Have you heard anything about Dianna yet?" Alice swung a fist into the punching bag. It hardly moved, much to her frustration. The next time she swung at it, the punching bag swayed just a little.

Natasha was keeping an eye on her, making sure she didn't over exert herself. "So far SHIELD has been quiet about it," she sighed.

Meaning they've broken communication. Alice tried kicking the punching bag this time. The moves Natasha had taught her a few weeks ago were slowly coming back. But each time she used her leg it sent jolts of pain to her back.

She tried not to wince, hoping Natasha wouldn't notice. Try as she might, Natasha was one of SHIELD's best agents. Also known as the Black Widow, she was more observant than others. It was Natasha who had noticed her in the first place

_And look where that's gotten me_, she thought angrily.

"Tony and Bruce have been keeping an eye out for any gamma radiation within the area," Natasha added after a few moments of silence followed.

"Dianna knows we're looking for her," Alice muttered. She paused between hitting the punching bag and glancing at Natasha. For the first time she noticed how exhausted the agent looked. "If I were her I'd be using a cloaking device, if that was possible," she added warily.

How much sleep had she and the others gotten since returning to Stark Tower?

"It is possible," Natasha replied. She placed her hands on her hips after steadying the swaying punching bag. "But even a cloaking device can be detected with the right tech."

Alice raised an eyebrow in surprise. Knowing Tony he would have the right tech. Surely he would have thought of that?

"The sooner we find her the better off we are." Alice finally pulled away from the punching bag, trying to hide the bitter rage slowly returning.

After everything Dianna had put her through, she wasn't going to let that woman get away with it, or anything else.

"You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened." She nearly jumped when Natasha said those words. It took her a few seconds to realize that Natasha had been watching her every move.

"It's may fault all of this happened," Alice murmured. She looked away towards the glass wall. Why Tony had chosen to surround the room with clear windows was beyond her. Breaking them would be easy if you weren't paying attention.

"Even if Viktor hadn't used the serum on you, this would have happened." This time Alice looked at her in surprise.

She knew that Natasha was right. Even if she hadn't survived the gamma poisoning, Viktor would have kept using it until it was successful. Sooner or later he would have found someone else like her. Someone who was capable of fighting back.

She tried to remember that one song that Dana was always listening to at the orphanage. It was the one song that even she had memorized overtime, not just because of the music.

"**I was sure by now, God You would have reached down, And wiped our tears away, Stepped in and saved the day, But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining, As the thunder rolls, I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, "I'm with you", And as Your mercy falls, I raise my hands and praise the God who gives, And takes away**..."

"Thanks," she finally whispered.

"We will find them." Though there was little reassurance in her voice, those words seemed to help make things better. "And they will pay for what they've done."

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**AN: This is my fifth attempt at writing this first chapter. And believe me, I've gone through several rough drafts. Hopefully this one turns out okay. This is the official sequel to Mind Games. That's Life is based off of a song from Sanctus Real. If you haven't heard it, I highly recommend it! Please let me know what you thought of this. I love reading your reviews!**

**Lyrics come from the song Praise You In This Storm from Casting Crowns.**


	2. Chapter Two

"_Let love explode and bring the dead to life, A love so bold, To see a revolution somehow, Now I'm lost in Your freedom, In this world I'll overcome, My God's not dead, He's surely alive, He's living on the inside, Roaring like a lion_..." God's Not Dead (Like a Lion), Newsboys

**AN: Am I the only one dying to see that movie? God's Not Dead is coming out in a couple of weeks! A group of friends from my church are going with me to see it as part of the Lent movie month :) Definitely going to be a great movie!**

**So big thanks to 2theSky for reviewing, you are awesome! And please read on!**

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**Chapter Two**

Exhaustion crept over Alice as she crawled into the bed. For the last few hours she had stayed up training. Despite the pain that followed, she was determined to keep up with her training. By now her muscles were screaming at her for overexerting herself.

_I need to sleep_, she reminded herself after thinking over what needed to be done. Her mind was still churning with anxiety. All she could think of was how the Avengers could stop Dianna, and put an end to the abuse she was causing.

She closed her eyes as she lay in the bed, trying to push the thoughts aside. Right now getting rest and recovering was her best option. She knew the scars she had received would never properly heal. But she could always hope that they would. It was hope that had gotten her this far.

. . .

"You're testing on babies now?" Alice's eyes flew open when she heard voices in the background.

She felt goosebumps running along her arm when she found herself standing in the middle of a familiar room. Two people were standing inside. It took her a few minutes to recognize who these people were, even if they were a few years younger.

_Is this is a dream_? she wondered. The room itself had hospital beds placed next to the steel walls.

"The boss wants this project finished as soon as possible." She felt a shiver run down her back. Viktor's voice. He was much younger in the dream, and even smaller than she remembered. But that wasn't what sent shivers down her back. It was the way he spoke that made her feel so uneasy. "Bring in the first test subject," he ordered after grabbing a vial filled with what looked like the serum.

Horror surged through Alice when the woman - she presumed the woman was a younger Dianna - returned shortly after with a baby. No more than a few months old, it was wailing away as she placed it on one of the beds.

"We've been working on the formula for months," Dianna murmured. "But each test has resulted in someone dying... are you sure it's wise to use it-" Viktor cut her off with a cold glare.

"They were abandoned by their parents. If this fails, they won't be remembered or missed." The words sent shivers of rage through Alice.

_How could he have turned so heartless_? Alice tried closing her eyes to shut out the horror that began to overwhelm her. The baby didn't survive the serum. Dianna was the one who would get rid of them. She acted as though nothing had even happened.

Everything that followed moved like a blur. Alice kept watching as countless other babies were taken in. Viktor was struggling to control his frustration as each failed the test miserably. Until finally the last baby came in.

"Sir, the public is getting suspicious," Dianna said after reluctantly placing the baby on the hospital bed.

"And that's supposed to get me concerned?" Viktor scowled as he looked down at the tiny baby. It was smaller than the rest. "What did they say about her?" He grabbed the vial, more than prepared for what followed.

"Her parents were killed in a car accident. She has no other family," Dianna explained. "No one claimed her."

Viktor's smirk made Alice wish she could punch him right than and there. All of her life she had always wondered what had happened to her family. No one knew where she came from when she was sent to the orphanage. No one had bothered looking anything up.

_That baby is me_, she realized. She tried to keep away the tears that followed as Viktor used the serum on the baby. Minutes seemed to pass before anything happened. The baby had stopped wriggling around, arms flailing to the side. Alice couldn't look away as she watched.

"Another failure!" Viktor's shout made both Dianna and Alice jump. Almost as soon as he said those words the baby started crying again. Viktor's eyes lit up with wonder as he stared at the baby. "Astounding... somehow this one has survived!"

"Does she show... any of the signs?" Dianna raised an eyebrow as she reached for a clipboard. A file was attached to it as she started writing things down.

Alice flinched as she guessed what Dianna meant by the 'signs'. They were looking to see whether or not she had powers. At that age how could they even tell?

Viktor's triumphant smirk quickly faded when he realized something was wrong. The baby had stopped crying and was now fast asleep, oblivious to what had just happened.

"She survived the serum, but she has no powers," he growled. "Take her away. This one is as useless as the rest."

Anger churned within Alice when she realized what Viktor had done. This wasn't just a dream. It was a memory. Now she understood why she had this nightmare. Something had triggered it. Someone was telling her it was time she knew the truth behind what had happened to her.

Dianna simply took the baby from the room headed for the outside world. In a matter of seconds Alice found herself staring at a newer looking version of the orphanage. Dianna was now wearing a cloak as she placed the baby in what looked like an uncomfortable basket.

The only warm memory Alice ever had of the orphanage was Sandy finding her outside in the cold. Alice couldn't help but smile slightly as Sandy picked up the baby, looking both stunned and guilty. Sandy had taken her in when no one else would. She would never forget what the owner of that orphanage had done for her.

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**AN: Sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but I really wanted to end it here. Seemed like a fitting ending considering it's been like, two weeks since my last update? Hopefully the next update won't take nearly as long ^^"**


	3. Chapter Three

"_I don't really wanna fight over something, It's really nothing, it doesn't matter, I don't really wanna scar your heart with words that hurt you, I won't hurt you_..." The Fight Song, Sanctus Real

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**Chapter Three**

Alice woke with a start. She was well aware of the dried tears, and the sudden longing for understanding that followed. What Viktor had done to all of those children was unforgivable. All of the babies he had killed just because he used the serum on them. Her hands clenched into fists as she thought of what punishments he deserved.

"Ma'am, Mr. Stark would like you to report to the lab immediately." Alice jumped when she hear the voice of Jarvis. The lights flickered on in her room as she slowly dragged herself out of the bed. Something must have happened if it was Tony who wanted to see her.

She grabbed what looked like the nicest looking outfit she could find and quickly changed. It was already late in the morning. To make matters worse she didn't have much time to get in the shower or make herself look somewhat presentable.

_It's not like anyone would care anyways_, she thought bitterly. It was one of the few good things about living with the Avengers. They weren't too fashionable.

She wasted no time in reaching the lab down below. Tony and Bruce were already inside waiting for her.

"Looks like you didn't sleep too well," Tony remarked after finally looking up from the monitors. Alice tried not to roll her eyes as he nudged Bruce. Bruce finally looked up from his work and took notice of Alice's arrival.

"I'm glad you're here," he murmured. "I just wanted to run a check-up on your health," he explained.

Alice only shrugged in response. By now she had gotten used to this. Every couple of days Bruce would run a check-up on her health. Ever since she was released from the hospital it was like this.

It wasn't that she didn't like the fact that he was so concerned. It felt like she would never recover from the most recent battle. Every now and than a sharp pain would return on her back, especially when she was training.

"So I take it you had a nightmare," Tony said in an almost accusing tone. Alice glanced at him in annoyance before looking away. "You know, it's not gonna get better unless you talk about it."

"Look, it's not something I want to talk about," she admitted.

_At least not to you_, she added silently. Tony was the last person she wanted to confide with. For now she would keep the dreams a secret. Alice tried not to wince as Bruce took a sample of her blood. It was part of the check-up, to ensure that the serum Viktor had used years ago wasn't taking over.

No one understood why she had survived the serum in the first place. For some reason she had fought off it's effects. But the serum did give her unusual abilities. Those abilities hadn't started appearing until a few months ago. That was when her life had made a change for the worse.

"Well, everything seems fine," Bruce sighed. "But you shouldn't keep pushing yourself. You'll never fully recover if you do."

That wasn't anything new. Alice had heard that song and dance more than once a week. But the only way she could fight back was by pushing herself. She wanted to at least be somewhat useful when it came to a battle.

"Thanks," she murmured halfheartedly. Bruce's only response was a curt nod before he returned to the monitors. Tony kept muttering something to him under his breath, shooting Alice a look every now and than.

Without looking back she walked out of the lab, unease crawling over her. She knew they were talking about her odd behavior. It wasn't anything new. She had changed ever since the fight against Dianna and Nichole.

. . .

When she reached the living space, she spotted Clint and Natasha watching the latest news. Alice was beginning to wonder where Thor and Steve were before pushing the thoughts aside. Knowing them they were sparring in the gym.

"So how'd the check-up go?" Alice grimaced when Clint asked the question.

There were times she wondered why he even bothered trying. Sure he acted like he cared, but she knew full well that it was only an act.

"The usual," she replied with a shrug.

"Fury wanted us to meet with him," Natasha suddenly chimed in, trying to break the awkwardness of the situation. Alice tried not to groan in annoyance.

Meeting with Director Fury was the last thing she wanted to do. He was the one who wanted to take away her powers. Truthfully she wondered if that would have been a good thing. But she had never said anything to the others.

"Why now?" she wondered out loud.

"It's just the three of us he wants to see," Natasha explained.

Alice didn't miss the worry in her eyes. Natasha rarely let her emotions show. Alice hardly knew her all that well, and she had come to know that it was the one thing that kept Natasha strong. Emotions were like a sign of weakness.

"I don't think it's Fury we should be worried about," Clint retorted.

_I know what he means_, Alice thought. _I only wish SHIELD would cooperate with the team_.

Everyone had been dead set on letting SHIELD take away her powers while she was unconscious. While she was thankful they had stood up for her, she still had to wonder why they did in the first place. Natasha had told her that with Dianna still on the loose, she wasn't safe.

"When are we leaving?" she asked warily.

"First thing tomorrow," Clint replied after turning down the volume.

Why would Fury want her to be with them? True it was Natasha who had signed the adoption papers, but that didn't make them a family. Once this was all said and done, she would go back to having what she hoped was a normal life.

Alice struggled not to laugh as she thought of ever having a normal life. That life had been thrown out the window the moment she was born. Even as a baby she had never had a normal life. She would never wish this kind of life on anyone for that matter.

"The disappearing children have become less frequent, but one question remains: Why are they disappearing in the first place?" Alice raised an eyebrow as she listened to the woman speaking in front of the camera. Her face was covered in makeup to hide signs of aging. She blinked in surprise when images of the children missing appeared on the screen. "The FBI is currently working on the case, but so far they have found nothing."

The FBI. Alice wondered just how much the government agency knew about SHIELD. From what she had gathered SHIELD was the greatest intelligence the US and other countries had. It was run by super spies. And that made the public nervous.

"Wish there was a way to shut 'em up," Clint muttered after shutting off the television.

"Only way to do that is by stopping the real threat," Natasha pointed out. She glanced pointedly at Alice, who only looked out the window to avoid her cautious gaze.

Alice was full aware that she was telling the truth. Dianna would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. The only question was what exactly did Dianna want? So far she and the rest of the 'army' of children she had had been strangely quiet. She wondered how long that peace would last.

Dianna was still on the loose, and so was Nichole. Alice knew that they were out for revenge, and it was only a matter of time before they showed themselves. She only hoped that everyone was ready for what would happen next.

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**AN: So there's the next chapter. Big thanks to 2theSky for reviewing! You are awesome :D**


	4. Chapter Four

"_A thousand voices, A thousand lives, A thousand prayers rise in the night, What is it we seek? So many stories, Lord, I hear, And all these questions in my ear Can we come out clean? Different faces, Different fears, Different failures lead us here, Show us how, We're all the same, Desperate for a change, We're all the same, We need your love, We need your love..._" All The Same, Tenth Avenue North

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**Chapter Four**

She had never been in this part of Headquarters before. Agents were rushing back and forth to their respected fields. For a moment she wondered where they were headed. Quite possibly they were looking for any of the children Dianna had used the serum on.

Natasha and Clint were leading the way down the long hallway. It seemed endless as they went up an elevator and to what she guessed was their destination.

After discussing what they had said about Director Fury wanting to meet with them, Alice had pretty much agreed to go with them. She knew full well that this was the man who threatened to take away her powers. He had every right to considering how dangerous she could be. For now she would have to trust him.

_SHIELD may be our only hope in finding Dianna and Nichole_, she realized.

"You okay?" She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, gentle yet firm. Glancing up she noticed that Clint was looking at her in concern.

"I'm fine," she lied. She didn't even notice that she was biting the bottom of her lip the whole time. Maybe that was why the SHIELD agents had been giving her strange looks. Clint raised an eyebrow skeptically, and she held back a sigh of frustration. "Actually... I'm nervous," she admitted.

"There's nothing to be nervous about," Natasha murmured.

Even Alice knew that she was wrong. If this went south than there was no telling what Fury would do to them. Clint and Natasha could hold their own in a fight if it came to that. But she was still in the process of learning how to defend herself.

"She's right." The elevator had finally reached it's destination at a painstakingly slow pace.

Alice felt her shoulders stiffen at the sight of Director Fury. This was his office in Washington D.C. For the most part it was like any other work office. Except for the panels in the front of the room and the large windows that overlooked the city.

"I'm sorry about the way things went earlier," he explained once they were shuffled inside. The doors sealed shut, and Alice noticed that the room was under surveillance. "Taking away your powers wasn't my decision to make. The board thought it would... benefit us all," he added.

"Oh I'm sure you had a wonderful chat with them just now," Clint retorted.

"Enough, you didn't call us here just to idly talk," Natasha pointed out.

Director Fury smirked before he leaned against the wall. Alice noticed that he looked more stressed out than usual. Not just from all the heat was probably taking from the board either. She had a feeling there was more between the three of them than they were letting on.

"You told me that Dianna might be using a cloaking device," he went on. "And it turns out that you're right." Alice raised an eyebrow in surprise. She never expected him to take her theory so seriously. He suddenly pulled out a small device and pulled up what looked like a small holographic screen, similar to the ones Tony used in his tower. "So far we've managed to locate several different bases where she's likely hiding."

"And you want us to find these bases," Clint concluded before Fury could finish.

The director looked at him grimly before nodding in agreement.

"Truth is we've been looking for her for the past few weeks now," he told them. "So far we've lost more agents than I'd like to count. It's time we went on the offensive and started taking down her bases, one by one."

"How do you propose we go through this? We can't just 'storm the base' without knowing how heavily guarded it is."

Alice couldn't help but flinch when Natasha said that. She remembered what had happened to Clint. He was sent on a solo mission to one of Viktor's bases. And the rest was something she'd rather not think about.

"That's why I will be sending you out in different groups," Fury explained. "I've been discussing the plans with agent Hill as you're both aware, and we've agreed that different teams should be sent out to investigate."

That made sense. Alice understood that the more they had in numbers, the better off they were at defending themselves. She had a feeling that Dianna's followers would likely have the abilities to defend themselves if they needed to.

As Fury discussed the plans with Natasha and Clint, Alice was left wondering if she would ever see Nichole again. Odds were she would if she was joining them. Her heart twisted with both pity and rage at the thought of her old friend. Nichole had betrayed her by joining Dianna.

The only real friend she'd ever had had betrayed her. And she would never forgive Dianna for what she had done, for what she had turned Nichole into. The more she thought about it the angrier she got. And in a matter of seconds the lights were already flickering on and off.

"Alice, you need to calm down." Natasha placed a hand on her shoulder, and Alice felt herself flinching out of instinct.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

It was at that moment the question Alice had been wondering was asked. Which team would she be placed on? She had gotten to know all of the Avengers. Working together with them seemed like the obvious choice. But if Director Fury planned on separating the team and placing them in different groups, than that would be impossible.

"I've put a lot of thought in that," he explained. "Agent Hill and I decided it was best for Alice to work with Natasha, since the two of you seem to get along so well. Natasha, you'll be working alongside agent May and agent Ward."

Natasha didn't look pleased being placed with the pair. Images were pulled up of the two agents in question. Alice raised an eyebrow, noting that agent May's posture was very similar to Natasha's. She wondered if every SHIELD agent was trained to keep a straight face and hide their emotions.

"This mission could be dangerous," Fury warned them. "The girl needs to be kept safe, and I expect you to keep an eye on her," he added to Natasha.

She just nodded in response, not even looking annoyed that Fury was questioning her professionalism. Alice wished she could hold that much self esteem. If Fury had said that to her she probably would've struck him in the thigh, than get arrested.

"When do we leave?" Clint asked.

"First thing tomorrow morning," Fury replied. "I want you debriefed and waiting at the base with the rest of the teams."

Alice felt her shoulders sag with relief. Finally, things were beginning to move forward. More than anything she wanted to take down Dianna and Nichole. And she would do anything she could to do so.

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**AN: I am so sorry for not updating in like, forever! I've been focusing on my other works and... yeah. I'm not even sure when the next update will be. Might be in a week, or a few weeks. Plus, I've got a job interview on Thursday to worry about. Hopefully things will pull through for me, I need this job! Thanks 2theSky and Guest for reviewing!  
**


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